If your adult children want to move back home, make them sign this contract

WASHINGTON, D.C. » That 30-year-old man who had to be forced by a judge to vacate his parents’ home has finally packed his bags and left.

Mark and Christina Rotondo wanted their unemployed adult son to move out. They said they were fed up with his not contributing to the household. But their son, Michael, refused to go, so the couple filed a petition in the New York State Supreme Court to have him evicted.

Without knowing more about this family’s dynamics, we can’t really say how the situation ended up in court. But maybe the acrimony could have been avoided had the parents more clearly communicated — in writing — what they expected from their son.

Kristy, a reader from Indiana, found a “Welcome Home Contract” online from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). A year ago, she and her husband tailored the document to dictate the rules under their roof when their 18-year-old son decided he wasn’t going to college after he graduated from high school.

The covenant between the couple and their son says he has to get a job (he did). There’s also a curfew and quiet hours.

“We added the bit about quiet hours because my husband has to be up early in the morning,” she said.

If you want to avoid a costly court date with your adult child, go to insureuonline.org and search for “Welcome Home Contract.” The first listing will be a fill-in-the-blanks PDF form, and the second is an interactive version of the contract.

I asked Kristy to share the specifics of their contract. I’ve made some edits for clarification. Effective: [Put the date here.] This covenant is between X, hereafter known as “adult child,” and Y, hereafter known as “parents.”

This covenant is entered into on the basis that [name of adult child] is not attending college part-time or full-time.

Logistics: Adult child may inhabit his current bedroom, or other room, as designated by parents. Adult child will park vehicle in manner so as not to take up more space than needed in driveway.

Adult child will take necessary precautions to ensure the safety of the residence/residents, such as locking doors at night/ upon leaving premises, and keeping security codes confidential.

This covenant will be reviewed twice a year.

Finances: [Put the dollar amount here] is expected monthly for room and board, which covers reasonable living expenses, groceries and utilities.

If still eligible for coverage

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